Down Deep

Chapter Twenty - Grant

He was bone tired and his head was pounding. Weeks of meetings and planning were starting to take its toll. A knock at his door was the last thing he wanted to hear.

'It's open.' He called. The door opened and Zdana looked in.

'Sorry, mind if I hide here for a little while?' She pleaded. 'Stine is looking for me.'

'Kill the lights or he is going to be knocking next.' Grant said worried. She did as asked and closed the door. 'If you're hungry, there is goo on the stove. It's the last of my Fens rations.'

'I have a few more in my room.' She assured him sitting at his side. 'Poppa will be here tomorrow with more supplies. The city guard have been searching for you in the tunnels. They think the Fensmen figured out you were a spy and killed you, so they are looking for your body.' Grant sighed.

'How is Stine's plan coming along?' He asked worried. 'I do not want anyone hurt because of me.'

'As soon as all the guard leave, they will destroy the elevators.' Poppa is going to sacrifice all but one of his tunnels into the Uptop. He wants to make sure he has a way up if he needs it.' Grants stomach tightened as the realization of what they were doing hit him.

The leaders of the Fens and the Deep had been outraged with the information given to them. It had not ended there however. All of them descended into the vault and reviewed some of the atrocities committed by the council themselves.

Plans had started to form and they spoke of how they would break themselves free of the Capital. It started with the sick and weak, followed by families. Everyday more and more people came through the tunnel to move into the lost city. The last to move in, would be the miners and the Deepsmen. Then Zdana, working with Dr. Panta, Dr. Reese, Jariff, and a few of the engineering teams would activate the machine that would prepare their bodies for the surface.

'What has you looking so serious?' Zdana asked and he looked to her.

'Same thing that has everyone in the Fens and Deeps worried.' He said amused. 'Sure, we have enough food and supplies for two years,'

'More than that.' She cut him off. 'My poppa has been busy while we have been up to our necks in books. He has been stockpiling those nutrition bars. Good ones. Not the poisoned. He told me you gave him the idea.' She frowned studying his face for a long moment.

'What?' He asked confused.

'I am sick of thinking Grant.' She sighed looking tired. 'People keep coming to me for answers and solutions, but I do not know them myself. I am not even given time these days to try to figure things out and think the problem over.' He frowned at the sadness in her eyes. He had seen it the last week. People were hounding her every step firing questions at her left and right. When they worked together, he tried very hard not to bother her. 'You are the only person that has given me any peace. I guess I just wanted to thank you.'

He did not know what to say, and the discussion was taken from him when she leaned over and kissed him on the lips. It had been a chase little kiss, but it had blanked his entire mind. The two stared at each other for a moment, then Grant leaned forward and kissed her back. This was not a chase kiss. This kiss sent heat flooding through his body and soon they were pulling their clothes off and he could not seem to touch her enough. If Zdana had come here so that she did not have to think anymore, he was going to do his best to help her with that.

Light shining in his face woke Grant from a present dream. He sighed wishing with all his heart that it had been true. Squinting around the room, he realized the bedroom lights were on and shining at their highest setting. Something shifted against his side and his eyes shot all the way open.